1. The Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to magneto-mechanical devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a magneto-mechanical apparatus with a magnetic field modifier that, when inserted into or removed from the magnetic field between two magnet components of the apparatus, triggers a displacement of at least one of the magnet components, which is coupled to a drive or a switch.
2. Description of the Related Arts
There exist a large number of types of mechanical drives. However, there exist far fewer drives based upon a magnetic field, the most relevant of which are reviewed here.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,532 discloses a pump system, which has a magnetic drive including a rotatable driver component and a driven component provided with blades for imparting motion to a fluid and mounted on a stationary shaft forming a one-piece unit with a thin diaphragm positioned between the driver component and the driven component. The driver component and the driven component include a plurality of permanent magnets. Each magnet has a central aperture dimensioned so that the attracting force is equal throughout the body of the magnet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,415 discloses a magnetically driven pump for transferring fluid through a conduit. The pump includes an electromagnet assembly selectively excited by a power source and a non-ferromagnetic lever structure extending from the electromagnet assembly to the conduit. The lever structure has a ferro-magnetic portion, which may consist of a plate, at one end movable by the electromagnet assembly between a release position where the ferro-magnetic portion is angularly offset relative to the electromagnet assembly and a compression position where the ferro-magnetic portion is in parallel contact with the electromagnet assembly. The ferro-magnetic portion enables a striker portion at another end of the lever structure to compress the conduit at a predetermined frequency. The lever structure couples movement of the ferro-magnetic portion at one end with movement of a striker at the other end such that the ferro-magnetic portion moves within a lesser arcuate range and the striker moves within a greater arcuate range. To reduce operating noise, the lever may be pivotally mounted on a translating shaft, enabling a part of the ferro-magnetic portion to remain in contact with the electromagnet assembly while in and between the release and compression positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,821 and European Patent EP0282095 disclose a multiple magnet drive pump. The magnetic drive pump includes a driving magnet that has opposite polarities circumferentially spaced apart from each other, a plurality of driven magnets on a circumference of the driving magnet for rotation in a non-contact state therewith, and a plurality of pump sections each having the driven magnet incorporated into a rotor for a pumping operation.
European Patent EP0291780 discloses a pump, which includes a body having two parts forming a tight assembly, two apertures for the admission and outlet of a liquid to be pumped and means of connection to allow pipes to be connected in the vicinity of these apertures, and a rotary device such as a screw, fixed inside the body, to draw the liquid in through one aperture and deliver it through the other. The two assembled parts of the body and the rotating device are made of a ceramic, composed mainly of aluminum, zirconium oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide. Such a pump may be made without any joint and convey virtually any type of liquid at either high or low temperature.
None of these patents teaches a magnetic field modifier used to drive a switch and/or a mechanical drive.
It is observed that for both mechanical and magneto-mechanical based drives, a further reduction of the power requirements of the drives and/or the physical dimensions of the drives is desirable.